444 - Senior Sister Is on Top

Meng Shen, who had shared countless days and nights with Tang Mu Xi, was intimately familiar with her temperament. As soon as he heard her abrupt remark, he instantly understood, causing his body to stiffen. "The Master's godly blood has stained them, and the clothes' color has shifted due to the sword's influence. I'll go and change immediately," he said, releasing his embrace and bolting away. The bond between the Master and Jiang Yin was unbreakable, and with Jiang Yin's untimely demise, leaving nothing behind, he couldn't allow his Master to be pained by memories of the past. Tang Mu Xi had endured millennia in a phantasmal world, and had begun to forget the scenes of her great battle with the demons. Upon Meng Shen’s mention, memories started to resurface, bringing a whirlwind of emotions. "No need, red is very beautiful." She halted him, unwilling to let her own turmoil affect others. Massaging her temples, she thought of the shattered demon realm and Si Jun, burnt by divine fire, unable to let it go. "Come take a walk with me." She put on her shoes and stepped out of the grand hall, with Meng Shen following, not reverting to his original form. As they emerged, the sky outside had returned to normal. The overcast clouds were gone, and the broken order had been mended, a testament to her mother's—today's Heavenly Dao—tireless efforts. Yet the ghost gates remained closed, and surviving souls floated down from the sky. The demon realm had completely fallen, sinking into the Yellow Springs Sea, countless demon citizens lost and adrift. Tang Mu Xi looked down, seeing many demon cultivators using intricate soul lanterns to seek out their kin on the sea's surface. Though numerous, the atmosphere was thick with somber silence, displaying a scene of post-war defeat. "Where do these people reside?" "Reporting to the Master, with the demon realm sunken, they have nowhere to go and mostly reside temporarily on New Island or in the Nether City. Wen Fei and the others accompanied them; your friends are there too." However, New Island was small, and the coexistence between demons and humans was not entirely peaceful. Thankfully, powerful figures like Yin Qing personally managed the situation, avoiding any major incidents. As they chatted, Si Jun, sensing the divine presence, hurried over with Qing Ling from the back mountains. "Greetings, Divine Emperor." They spoke in unison—a person and a bird. Tang Mu Xi's gaze fell upon Si Jun's damaged left arm, and she brought out the Lifesaving Lantern to heal her. Nourished by her divine blood, the artifact's power had grown significantly. Within just a few breaths, the severed arm was repaired, and the burn marks eradicated. "Thank you, Divine Emperor," Si Jun expressed her gratitude, bowing her head. She seemed to want to bow further, but Tang Mu Xi stopped her before she could. "How is the Demon King’s condition?" Si Jun hesitated briefly, looking somber. "His divine soul is damaged and he has not awoken. Wen Ming Yu and Bai Ling, who went to rescue him, also got burned by divine fire and were gravely injured. However, with Wen Fei treating them, they have recovered substantially." Tang Mu Xi nodded, "Let them return to the demon realm tomorrow. I will heal everyone's wounds." "Demon realm?" Si Jun furrowed her brow as if questioning but then refrained from speaking further. Tang Mu Xi smiled wryly, "You need not avoid such subjects with me." She gazed at the vast ocean below the divine realm as if assuring someone, "Tomorrow, I will restore the demon realm to its former glory." Although her expression struggled to hide her sorrow, the resolve in her eyes was unwavering. Si Jun was somewhat taken aback by Tang Mu Xi's determination and, hearing this, no longer questioned further. She quietly replied, "Yes." After Si Jun's injuries were healed, Tang Mu Xi walked around the Changhe Palace for a while. The palace bore the scars of two assaults by Yin Sheng and the demons. Many of its halls were damaged but had now been painstakingly restored by Si Jun. Such a foolish person, neglecting her own severed arm yet keeping the palace immaculate and orderly. Tang Mu Xi felt deeply touched and even more resolved to restore the demon realm. After dinner and a cleansing bath, Tang Mu Xi arrived above the Yellow Springs Sea with the Demon Seal in hand. Reinforced by her blood, the seal pulsed with light intermittently, resembling a beautiful meteor in a dream, filled with hope for the future. Lost momentarily in thought, she placed the warm seal over her heart, activated it, and tore through the void to retrieve the fragmented island stones from the seabed. The demon realm had been devastated twice, the first time ten millennia ago, when most of the soil fell into the sea. Over the eons, the soil had turned to silt, vanished without a trace, leaving only a few rocks beneath the sea. Tang Mu Xi dredged them all up, extracted divine flames from the earth’s veins, and used the Fire Spirit Pearl to refine them again, knitting them together as the core. She mended the fractured surface using the Earth Spirit Pearl. After several hours, the grand ancient domain reemerged over the sea. From islands to city constructs, she used divine artifacts to repair them bit by bit. Her movements were so noticeable that Si Jun was drawn there early on, witnessing the Divine Sovereign under the moonlight, reshaping their homeland, making her eyes well up with tears. “She really managed to restore it…” Qing Ling marveled. Si Jun didn't respond, instead stepping forward to assist Tang Mu Xi in the repairs. Tang Mu Xi was slightly surprised to see her approach but didn't stop her, allowing her to help. Not wanting to remain idle, Qing Ling also contributed her strength. Through the efforts of two people and a bird, by the time the sun rose the next morning, the vast island was nearly fully restored, save for a few buildings yet to be repaired. Wen Fei, having received a message from Si Jun, initially doubted whether she was being deceived. After all, she had witnessed the realm's destruction and its descent into the sea with her own eyes. Yet when she arrived with many demon cultivators the next day, she stood in stunned silence before the suspended island. “How can this be!” Bai Ling exclaimed in shock, “Wasn't this island shattered? How is it now intact?” Spreading her divine senses, Wen Fei saw the residual moisture on the leaves and the two figures diligently restoring the city in the distance. She suddenly understood, “Perhaps Heaven has shown mercy.” Serious and composed by nature, Wen Fei rarely spoke in such ambiguous terms, but this time, she meant it sincerely. The Divine Emperor’s benevolence had always encompassed this ancient domain.